Method and apparatus for handling a former

ABSTRACT

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND MOVING FORMERS DURING WINDING THEREON AND REMOVAL THEREFROM OF WIRE COILS FOR ELECTRICAL MACHINES OR THE LIKE. A PLURALITY OF FORMERS ARE ARRANGED IN A GROUP LYING IN A COMMON PLANE AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM A CENTRAL AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PLANE. AS THE FORMERS MOVE ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS THE FORMERS MOVE AT LEAST A WINDING POSITION WHERE THEY ARE WOUND AND TO A REMOVAL POSITION WHERE AT LEAST ONE FORMER OF THE GROUP IS SWIVELED TO BE PARALLEL TO ANOTHER FORMER OF THE GROUP FOR SIMULTANEOUS REMOVAL OF THE COILS FROM THE TWO PARALLEL FORMERS. THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE GROUP OF FORMER, THE PLANES OF THE OTHER GROUPS BEING PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE FIRST MENTIONED GROUP AND ALL GROUPS SHARING THE SAME CENTRAL AXIS.

Dec. 7, 1971 I DROLL 3,624,898

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A FORMER I Filed 001'. 22, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lave/2101'.

HANS DROLL ATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1971 H. DROLL 3,624,898

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A FORMER Filed Oct. 22, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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HANS DROLL J Z=SOZ J 7 ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1971 h DROLL I 3,6,24,89 7

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A FORIER Filed Oct. 22, 1969 '4 Sheets-Sheet a I F/G5f HAN S DROLL ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1971 H. DROLL 3,624,898

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A FORMER Filed Oct. 22, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HANS DROLL //I ran for ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,624,898 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING A FORMER Hans Droll, Bergen-Enkheim, Germany, assignor to Balzer & Droll KG., Niederdorfelden an der Rosenhelle,

Germany Filed Oct. 22, 1969, Ser. No. 868,482 Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 17, 1969, P 19 19 432.2 Int. Cl. B211? 3/00; H01f 7/06 US. Cl. 29-605 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for holding and moving formers during winding thereon and removal therefrom of wire coils for electrical machines or the like. A plurality of formers are arranged in a group lying in a common plane and extending outwardly from a central axis perpendicular to said plane. As the formers move about the central axis the formers move at least to a winding position where they are wound and to a removal position where at least one former of the group is swiveled to be parallel to another former of the group for simultaneous removal of the coils from the two parallel formers. There may be more than one group of formers, the planes of the other groups being parallel to the plane of the first mentioned group and all groups sharing the same central axis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the handling of formers of the type used for winding wire coils for electrical machines and the like. In particular, this invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for manipulating the formers relative to coil winding and coil removing stations.

In the production of items such as electrical machines and the like, it is of course necessary to produce wound coils to be assembled at appropriate positions within the machines. These coils are customarily produced by using a winding funnel or the like to wind a wire onto a former. Heretofore, it has been customary to wind the formers individually and then to remove the coils or groups of coils again individually and then to transfer these wound coils to a device for inserting the coils into the appropriate locations such as into the grooves of a stator. However, the task of individually removing each and every former is quite time consuming and it tends to limit the speed with which the wires are wound onto the formers since it would of course be impractical to wind the coils faster than they could be removed.

Thus, there exists a need for a new and improved arrangement for handling formers which will permit faster removal of wound coils and thereby also permit faster winding of the coils onto the formers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus, it is a purpose of the invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for handling formers which will permit an increase in the speed with which coils can be wound onto and removed from the formers.

This purpose of the present invention is achieved by providing an arrangement wherein a plurality of formers are mounted for movement together at least between a winding position whereat they can be individually wound and a removal position whereat adjacent formers are oriented so that they are parallel to each other so that the two coils wound on the parallel formers can be removed simultaneously. In a preferred arrangement of the invention, the apparatus would include a group of formers located in a common plane and all extending outwardly from a cen- 3,624,898 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 ice tral axis wherein the formers are movable about this central axis between said winding and removal stations and wherein the formers can be swiveled about axes spaced from and parallel to the said central axis for orienting the said adjacent formers parallel to each other in the vicinity of said removing station. For convenience in construction, it is desirable to mount adjacent formers such that they swivel to their parallel positions about a common swivel axis,

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, capacity of the apparatus may be doubled by simply providing a second group of formers lying in a plane parallel to the first said common plane and rotatable about the same central axis. For example, when winding coils for stators of two-pole motors, and by arranging the formers in said two parallel planes, one above the other, and by using a double winding device simultaneously winding one former in each group of formers, the capacity of the apparatus may be doubled. Of course the apparatus may use anynumber of groups of formers and there may be any number of formers within a given group. Further, it is also possible to construct the apparatus so that formers in different groups may be ararnged parallel to each other at the removing station or the coils may be removed simultaneously from all of said parallel formers.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for more rapidly winding a coil onto and removing a wound coil from a former.

It is another object of this invention to provide a former handling arrangement wherein a group of formers are arranged about a central axis for successive movement between a winding station and a removing station.

It is another object of this invention to provide an arrangement for handling a group of coil formers wherein the formers of a group are individually wound but wherein swiveling of at least one former occurs to permit two formers to become parallel to each other at a removing station whereat coils can be simultaneously removed from the two parallel formers at a removing station.

It is further object of this invention to provide a new method for handling coil formers permitting a more rapid winding and removal of coils.

Other objects and the intended advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There follows a detailed description to be read together with the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the description and the drawings are intended only to illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a former holding apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing two groups of formers.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus showing FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing in side elevation the mechanism for effecting swiveling of the formers.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5a to 5 illustrate the operation of the embodiment in FIGS. 1 through 4 in the production of a twopole motor.

FIGS. 6a through 6 illustrate the operation of another embodiment of the invention for use in the production of a four-pole motor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, like numerals represent like elements throughout the sevaral views.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown an apparatus constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention and including two groups of formers. The first or upper group includes formers 1a, 2a, 3a and 4a spaced generally about and extending outwardly from a central axis 9. The second or lower group consists of formers struction and including in this case three steps for 1b through 4b, also extending outwardly from the central axis 9. The individual formers are of conventional conforming the separate portions of difierent sizes, and each former comprising two halves with a space between the halves into which the formers move for releasing the wound coils. Coils are wound onto the formers at the winding station 7 which comprises a pair of vertically aligned conventional winding funnels 8a and 8b. As the groups of formers are turned about axis 9, they move in succession to the said winding station.

The apparatus further includes a set of bearing plates including an upper bearing plate 16, a central bearing plate 17, and a lower bearing plate 18. Connected to these bearing plates and extending from plate 16 to plate 18 are four swivel axis rods A, B, C and D. The formers in the upper group are connected to axes A and B. Specifically, formers 1a and 4a are mounted for swiveling movement about the axis rod A while the other two formers 2a and 3a are mounted for movement about axis rod B.

The formers in the lower group are mounted for swivel movement about the other two axis rods C and D. Specifically, formers 1b and 2b are mounted for swiveling movement about axis rod C and formers 3b and 4b are mounted for pivotal movement about axis rod D.

The apparatus is turned in steps of 90. In each step, one former of each group is located in its respective winding funnel 8a and 8b. After coils are wound onto these formers the winding funnels 8a and 8b are withdrawn after which the apparatus is turned another 90 (assume that turning is in the clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2) to place the two formers 3a and 3b into the winding position to be operated on by the respective winding funnels 8a and 8b.

During each step, while two of the formers a-re having coils wound thereon, two other formers in at least one group which were previously wound with coils are moved to such a position that they are parallel to each other whereby the coils wound thereon can be simultaneously removed therefrom. For example, this particular arrangement may be used for two groups of coils which are to be used in the manufacture of a two-pole motor, one coil forming each pole. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the formers 4a and 4b are shown in their respective funnels 8a and 8b while the two formers 2a and 3a are parallel to each other, the two formers having been swiveled about the axis rod B, whereby the coils on these two formers can be removed simultaneously. Next, the apparatus would be turned clockwise 90 (as viewed in FIG. 2). This would place the formers 3a and 3b in the respective funnels 8a and 8b. Concurrently the lower formers 1b and 2b would swivel about the axis C to become parallel to each other for simultaneous removal of the coils thereon. The apparatus would then be turned clockwise another 90 placing the formers 2a and 2b in the respective winding funnels 8a and 8b and placing the upper formers 1a and 4a into the position whereat they are turned about the swivel axis A into parallel relationship with each other for simultaneous removal of the coils mounted thereon.

Numerous different arrangements may be employed for effecting the said swiveling movement of the formers at the said appropriate times. For example, this motion may be carried out by pressure cylinders, by electromagnetic means, etc. However, in the illustrated form of the invention, this is carried out by a simple mechanical arrangement which is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. This arrangement includes a cam fixed against rotation at the top of the apparatus together with a follower 11 which follows the outer circumferential surface of the cam and is connected by a lever 12 to an axis rod. In FIGS. 3 and 4 the elements 11 and 12 for the axis rod B are shown. However, similar elements are provided for each of the other three axis rods. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the follower 11 is normally displaced outwardly from the center of axis 9 by the distance R. However, at the appropriate location whereat the formers are to be folded into parallel relationship with each other, the cam has a radius 1'. Thus, at this location the follower 11 and the lever 12, and hence the axis rod B turn slightly in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. This axis rod B is non-rotatably fixed to the former 311 by means of a pin 5 as shown in FIG. 3, thereby turning the former 3a. The other former 2a is loosely mounted on the axis rod B and thus additional means must be provided for effecting movement of this former. In the present case the gear 15 is fixed with respect to former 2a but is loosely mounted on rod B. However, the gear 13 is fixed onto rod B. Thus, when the rod B turns, it also turns the gear 13 which acts through a gear train including gears 30, 31 and 32 to turn the gear 14 which in turn turns the gear 15 to turn the former 2a about the axis of rod B so that it is parallel to the former 3a. In FIG. 3, the gears 14 and 15 are shown spaced apart for purposes of convenience. However, in practice these two gears would be engaged with each other.

The rollers 11 would be maintained against the surface of cam 10 by suitable means such as a spring or the like.

The operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 5a through 5), especially with respect to the production to a two-pole singlephase or double-phase motor. The formers of the upper group are shown in three successive operational steps in FIGS. 5a, 50 and 5e and the formers of the lower group are shown in the same operational steps at FIGS. 5b, 5d and 5 In the illustrated steps, all formers have already passed at least once through their respective winding funnels 8a and 8b. At the position of FIGS. 5a and 5b, which corresponds to the position of FIGS. 1 and 2, the formers 4a and 4b are having coils wound thereon. Meanwhile, the two formers 2a and 3a have just had wound coils removed therefrom. The former 3b already had its wound coil removed therefrom during the preceding step, simultaneously with the coil then present on former 4b. The apparatus is then turned placing the formers 3a and 3b into their respective Winding funnels and placing the lower formers 1b and 2b into parallel relationship for simultaneous removal of the coils wound thereon. At the next step formers 2a and 2b are wound with coils while formers 1a and 4a simultaneously have their wound coils removed.

In order to coordinate the removal of coils alternately from an upper group and then a lower group of formers, a slight manipulation must be carried out at the start of production. As the first set of parallel formers are having wound coils removed therefrom, it is also necessary to remove the coil from the individual former 3b. Otherwise, at the next step the former 3 will enter its respective winding funnel 8b already having a coil wound thereon. However, after this manipulation has been made at the start, the apparatus can be operated in the manner described above whereby coils are removed only from parallel arranged formers in the respective groups. One advantage of the present invention is the provision of only a single winding device having merely two synchonous winding funnels mounted thereon.

The present invention has the further advantage that the coils on two adjacent formers which will subsequently be swiveled into a parallel relationship with each other to have their coils simultaneously removed have been wound directly one after the other with the same winding funnels so that it was not necessary to cut the wire between winding the two said formers. This provides a desired connection between the two groups of coils which would otherwise have to be added.

FIGS. 1 through 5 illustrate only one form of the invention. In practice, it is possible to include any number of planes or groups of formers and to provide various numbers of formers within each group. To illustrate the broad scope of the invention, FIGS. 6a through 6 illustrate a different arrangement wherein there are two groups of formers, each having six formers therein. The upper group includes formers 21a through 26a and the lower group includes formers 21b trhough 26b. The bearing plates and axis rods are replaced by middle and lower bearing plates 19 and 20 and new axis rods E, F, G and H. Except for the different number of elements and the different positions of the axis rods, it is to be understood that the details of the various elements are precisely the same as shown with respect to the emlodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5.

The embodiment of FIGS. 6a through 6f operates as follows. This apparatus is turned in steps of 60 about the central axis 9, thereby requiring six steps to complete its cycle. The first three of these steps are shown in the drawings and the remaining three steps can easily be derived therefrom. FIGS. 6a, 6c and 6e show the upper group of formers in the first three steps, respectively, while FIGS. 6b, 6d and 6 show the same said first three steps with respect to the lower group of formers.

In the first step, as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the formers 21a and 21b are being wound in the winding funnels 8a and 8b, respectively while formers 24a, 25a 24b are arranged parallel with each other, having been swiveled about axis rod G. Thus, it will be noted that in this case during certain steps in the operation of the apparatus, three parallel arranged formers have coils removed therefrom simultaneously including two formers in one group and a former in the other group. In the second step, as shown in FIGS. 6c and 6d, no axis rod is located at the removing station (which is the lowermost station as viewed in the figures) and hence no formers are so positioned to have coils removed therefrom. In the third step, as shown in FIGS. 6e and 6f, the three formers 23a, 22b and 23b have been swiveled about the axis rod F to be parallel to each other for simultaneous removal of the coils wound thereon.

The remaining three steps are as follows. 'In the next or fourth step the formers 21a, 22a and 21b will have been swiveled about the axis rod E into parallel relationship therewith for simultaneous removal of the coils Wound thereon. At the next, or fifth, step there will again be no axis rod at the removing position, and hence no coils will be removed. Finally, at the sixth and last step the formers 26a, 25b and 26b will have been swiveled about axis rod D into parallel relationship with each other for simultaneous removal of the coils mounted thereon. The apparatus will then be turned to the position of FIGS. 6a and 6b whereat the cycle will be repeated. Although during two of the six steps no coils are removed, this is offset by the fact that three coils are removed at once during each of the remaining four steps. Thus, it can be seen that during the overall cycle twelve coils are wound and twelve coils are removed.

At the start-up of the embodiment of FIG. 6, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, a manipulation must be made to remove certain formers individually. Specifically, in this example during the first step coils must be individually removed from the former 25b. Moreover, in the present embodiment as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, certain adjacent coils will be removed simultaneously thereby providing an existing connection between those two coils.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that this invention is capable of numerous modifications and variations apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for use in the production of Wound coils for stators and the like comprising a holding means for holding a group of formers onto which coils can be wound with the formers being arranged in a common plane and extending outwardly from and turnable about a common axis generally perpendicular to said plane, and for moving said formers to a winding station Whereat the formers are wound individually and to a removing station, and including a means for re-orienting at least one former of the group at said removing station within said common plane such that the re-oriented former and at least one other former of the group are arranged generally parallel to each other at said removing station whereby wound coils can be removed simultaneously from the two said generally parallel formers.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, said formers being swivelable about certain axes parallel to said common axis and spaced radially outwardly from said common axis, such that all said formers are removable to a position substantially parallel to at least one other former for simultaneously removing coils from the two said generally parallel formers.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each one of said formers of the group are swivelable about a respective swivel axis.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein pairs of adjacent formers are swivelable about a common axis for becoming parallel to each other at said removing station.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said formers of said group are rotatable about said common axis for movement between said winding station and said removing station.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said swiveling means comprises a cam fixed against rotation with said formers about said common axis and a follower means operatively associated with each said swivelable former and acted on by said cam to swivel said formers to said parallel positions at said removing station.

7. An apparatus for use in the production of wound coils for stators and the like comprising a holding means for holding a plurality of formers onto which coils can be wound and for moving said formers to a winding station whereat the formers are wound individually and to a removing station, and including a swivelling means for re-orienting at least one former at said removing station such that the re-oriented former and at least one other former are arranged generally parallel to each other at said removing station whereby wound coils can be removed simultaneously from the two said generally parallel formers, wherein said plurality of formers comprise a group of formers arranged in a common plane and extending outwardly from a common axis generally perpendicular to said common plane, at least some of said formers being swivelable about certain axes parallel to said common axis and spaced radially outwardly from said common axis, such that all said formers are removable to a position substantially parallel to at least one other former for simultaneously removing coils from the two said generally parallel formers, and wherein said plurality of formers comprise two groups of formers, the formers of each group arranged in a common plane, the two said planes being substantially parallel to each other, and the formers in each group extending radially outwardly from the said common axis which is substantially perpendicular to said common plane.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, including a common winding station including a double winding means for simultaneously winding :1 separate coil onto one former of each group.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one former of one plane can be swiveled into a parallel position around a swivel axis simultaneously with the swiveling of a pair of adjacent formers of the other plane around the same swivel axis.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, including six formers in each group, each former being swivelable about certain ones of four swivel axes in each group, wherein during four rotative steps of said groups of formers through intervals of 60 about said common axis, three formers, including two formers from one group and one former from the other group are swiveled to be parallel to each other for simultaneous removal of coils therefrom.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein during the other two alternate 60 steps none of the formers within a group are parallel to each other.

12. An apparatus according to claim 2, including four formers in said group normally spaced 90 apart about said common axis, two of said formers being swivelable about a first common swivel axis, and the other two formers being swivelable about a second common swivel axis which is spaced 180 about said axis from the first said swivel axis.

13. A method for handling coils comprising the steps of moving about a common axis a group of formers arranged in a common plane and extending outwardly from said axis in said plane to be wound individually with a coil, and then arranging at least two formers of the group within this plane parallel to each other and then simultaneously removing the coils from said parallel formers.

14. A method of handling coils comprising the steps of moving a group of formers to be wound individually with a coil, and then arranged at least two formers parallel to each other and then simultaneously removing the coils from said parallel formers, wherein moving the formers comprises locating the formers in a common plane and rotating the formers about a common axis, and including two groups of formers rotatable about said axis, the two groups of formers being located in parallel planes, and wherein the step of winding comprises simultaneously winding one former in each group.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the formats move in steps such that each former is moved to a position to be wound with a coil, and wherein during every other step two formers from a first group are arranged parallel to each other for simultaneous removal of coils therefrom and during the alternate step two formers from the other group are arranged parallel to each other for simultaneous removal of coils therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,415,292 12/1968 Ericson 14092.1 2,861,601 11/1958 iMarzolf 14092.1 3,508,316 4/1970 Hill 14092.1 X

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner I US. Cl. X.R. 14092.l 

